2012 London Olympics

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Michael Phelps Kills Chance of 2008 Repeat

Coach announces he's pulling out of 200M free

(Newser) - Remember how thrilling it was when Michael Phelps managed to grab eight gold medals in the 2008 Olympics? Yeah, that won't be happening this time around. Phelps pulled out of the 200 meter freestyle today, though he had qualified for it. His coach broke the news via Twitter , tweeting...

McDonald's Opens Super-Size Site at Olympics

Temporary restaurant can sit 1,500 people

(Newser) - Spectators at the Olympics may get inspired by the athletes' fitness, but they'll also have all the Big Macs and fries they'd like within reach. The chain is opening its biggest restaurant in the world in London's Olympic Park, though it will be dismantled (and mostly recycled)...

Olympic Torch Bearer Proposes During Relay

David State stopped mid-relay and handed off torch

(Newser) - Olympic torch bearers probably don't often stop in the middle of their relays, but David State had good reason: He got down on one knee today between England's Marske-by-the-Sea and Loftus, handed the torch to a security official, and proposed to his girlfriend Christine Langham. She said yes,...

British Royal Makes Olympic Team

Zara Phillips chosen for equestrian team

(Newser) - Princess Anne has long been the only British royal to have competed in the Olympic Games but daughter Zara Phillips is about to join the ranks. Phillips, the queen's granddaughter, has been selected as one of five members of Britain's equestrian team at this year's London Games,...

Ann Romney's Horse Olympics-Bound?

Jan Ebeling, Rafalca just need to stay in top 3

(Newser) - It looks like the Romneys have a shot at Election 2012 and London 2012: Rafalca, the dressage horse that Ann Romney co-owns with trainer Jan Ebeling, is currently sitting in third place at the United States Equestrian Federation National Dressage Championships, reports ABC News . If Ebeling and Rafalca are able...

Putin to Snub London Olympics

Medvedev to attend instead

(Newser) - Even though Russia will be hosting the next Winter Olympics in 2014, Vladimir Putin will snub this summer's games in Great Britain, reports the Guardian . Apparently Russia's recently re-elected president is unhappy with Britain for a range of reasons—being accused of human rights abuses, British MPs blocking...

Olympian Loses Bet, Will Wear Mankini to Games

Shooter Russell Mark will don it during opening ceremonies

(Newser) - Australian shooter Russell Mark may have won gold and silver in previous Olympics, but he lost a pretty big bet this go-round—and he's now stuck parading through the opening ceremonies in London wearing a lime-green mankini. The not-exactly-fashionable swimsuit was popularized by Sacha Baron Cohen's Borat, and...

Usain Bolt Leaves Girlfriend to Focus on Olympics
 Usain Bolt Leaves Girlfriend to Focus on Olympics 
tabloid says
May 11, 2012 12:09 PM CDT

Usain Bolt Leaves Girlfriend to Focus on Olympics

World's fastest man 'will have plenty of time for relationships'

(Newser) - The fastest man on the planet has one thing on his mind, and it's not romance. Usain Bolt has broken up with his girlfriend in order to focus on the Olympics, reports the Sun . "He will have plenty of time for relationships," says its source. "At...

Olympic Flame Lit in Greece
 Olympic Flame Lit in Greece 
May 10, 2012 7:35 AM CDT

Olympic Flame Lit in Greece

Torch begins first leg of its journey

(Newser) - The Olympic flame has been lit and is on its 1,800-mile journey around Greece before it makes its way to London next week. A “high priestess” (read: actress) ignited the flame by catching the sun’s rays in a mirror at a ceremony in Olympia’s Temple of...

Worker Smuggles Fake Bomb Past Olympic Security

Massive security loopholes still exist, worker complains

(Newser) - More than $1.5 billion is being spent on security for the London Olympics but the site is still vulnerable to attack, according to a construction worker who smuggled a fake bomb onto the site to prove his point. The worker informed the Sun that he was allowed to enter...

London Cabbies Sitting Out Olympics

Some 40% of drivers to strike over city rules

(Newser) - London is planning travel restrictions for some 109 miles of its streets during the Olympics; a third of that distance will be reserved for athletes, members of the press, and officials. London cabbies aren't happy about it: Some 40% of the city's 23,200 black-cab drivers plan to...

Argentina Olympics Ad Tweaks Britain on Falklands

It shows athlete training there on 'Argentine soil'

(Newser) - Argentina isn't afraid to play politics with the Olympics: A controversial new ad shows an Argentine athlete training on the Falklands with the tagline, "To compete on British soil, we train on Argentine soil," reports the Guardian . The 90-second ad also refers to the islands by their...

At London Olympics, World's Biggest ... McDonald's?

Who doesn't associate world-class athletes with the McDonald's lifestyle?

(Newser) - Nothing symbolizes physical fitness better than ... McDonald's, right? The fast-food chain is a major London Olympics sponsor, and it has some pretty big plans—literally. The world's largest McDonald's will open this summer in Olympic Park. The AP describes it as a "cathedral-like restaurant" whose two...

New Threat to London 2012: Poisonous Caterpillars

Oak processionary moth caterpillar can cause quite a bit of distress

(Newser) - Planning to attend the Olympics in London this summer? It's sure to be a fun time, except for the creepy-crawly detail of poisonous caterpillars that have been ravenously chomping on Britain's oak trees. The caterpillar in question is the larval form of the oak processionary moth, and its...

London Olympics Plan: Put Missiles Atop Apartments?

High Velocity Missiles being considered as way to protect Olympic Park

(Newser) - Londoners who plan to rent out their apartments over the course of the Olympics may find another uninvited tenant occupying space atop their flats: surface-to-air missiles. The BBC reports that some 700 residents of a block of apartments in east London received notice that a "Higher Velocity Missile system"...

US Still Rules in Decathlon

Americans dominate sport heading into London Olympics

(Newser) - In 2008, China beat out the US for most Olympic gold medals; this year, it's poised to garner the most total medals. Olympic glory has become a little less common stateside—but when it comes to the decathlon, we're set to do ourselves proud. The three favorites for...

London Warns Olympics Fans: Don&#39;t Post Pics
 London Warns 
 Olympics Fans: 
 Don't Post Pics 
olympics 2012
Apr 22, 2012 2:30 PM CDT

London Warns Olympics Fans: Don't Post Pics

Olympics protected by stringent branding laws

(Newser) - The Olympics are headed to London this summer, but visitors and athletes alike better beware of what they post online, reports Mashable . London has passed legislation ahead of the games to penalize people who violate the games' official branding. Legally speaking, this would include:
  • Athletes posting media of themselves with
...

Can Greece Afford Olympic Teams?

Cuts force suspension of domestic track and field events

(Newser) - The birthplace of the Olympics might no longer be able to afford participation in the games. Crushing austerity measures mean there's not enough state funds to pay coaches and training staff, so Greece's Athletic Federation is now suspending all domestic track and field events until the government coughs...

No Longer Shaken? James Bond Goes Heineken

Plus: 007 now a Heineken man?

(Newser) - James Bond is no longer exclusively a martini man: The super-spy will be swilling Heineken in at least one scene in upcoming 007 flick Skyfall, according to a surprising report from Advertising Age. It's part of an advertising push by the beer maker; Daniel Craig's Bond will also...

What You May See Less of at London Olympics: Bikinis

Women's beach volleyball players can opt for shorts, sleeved tops

(Newser) - If you only watch beach volleyball for the bikini-clad eye candy, the London Olympics may not be quite as exciting as you hoped. Under new rules adopted by the International Volleyball Federation, players will be free to wear shorts and sleeved tops. The governing body said the move was made...

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